Chair (sculpture)
Encyclopedia
Chair is a public artwork designed as an advertisement by Bassett Furniture, located at the intersection of Martin Luther King Ave. & V. Street S.E., in the Anacostia
neighorhood of Washington, D.C.
, United States of America. Chair was originally surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
survey in 1994. It was once considered the World's Largest Chair, but has been overtaken by works like Broken Chair
in Geneva
and the temporary The Writer on Hampstead Heath
in London.
style chair. Painted brown with a white and brown striped "cushion" the chair is entirely made of aluminum. Weighing between 4,000-4,600 pounds, the chair sits on a concrete base.
. The concept for the chair came from Charles Curtis, of the Curtis Brothers Furniture company, as a clever way to bring customers to their family showroom which was located on the grounds where the chair is currently placed.
The piece was dedicated on July 11, 1959 and a plaque was placed with it stating:
. On April 25, 2006, the chair was returned by Curtis Properties (was Curtis Brothers), however, this was a new chair, made entirely of brown aluminum. Over 250 people attended the re-dedication including Mayor Anthony A. Williams
.
With the dedication of a new chair, a new plaque was placed reading:
This new chair was designed by John Kidwell & Lomax. It was fabricated by Cinnbar, an Orlando-based business known for their oversized objects, and Nelson's Welding. The new chair cost over $40,000 to build. Upon its delivery, by flatbed truck, overpasses had to be avoided due to the size of the chair.
Kirby would step outside onto the balcony every few hours to greet visitors who learned about her living situation due to newspapers advertising her as "Alice in the Looking Glass House." Visitors would be encouraged to guess how long she'd maintain her residency. Her then 14-month-old son, Richard, visited often, being placed in a dumb waiter and sent up to see her.
After 42 days Kirby "decided to return to earth," earning $1,500 for her stay.
Often used as a geographic marker for direction giving and holiday celebration (Santa Claus
sits upon the chair during Christmas
.), when the Chair was reinstalled in 2006 community members surrounded the giant, clapping, yelling and photographing the new chair.
During the 1968 Washington, D.C. riots
the chair was one of the few landmarks to go unscathed in a neighborhood heavily affected by Martin Luther King, Jr.
's death.
Anacostia
Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Its historic downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue It is the most famous neighborhood in the Southeast quadrant of Washington, located east of the Anacostia River, after which the...
neighorhood of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, United States of America. Chair was originally surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
Save Outdoor Sculpture!
Save Outdoor Sculpture! is a community-based effort to identify, document, and conserve outdoor sculpture in the United States. By fostering awareness and appreciation, SOS! aims to advocate proper care of a nationwide public resource....
survey in 1994. It was once considered the World's Largest Chair, but has been overtaken by works like Broken Chair
Broken Chair
Broken Chair is a monumental sculpture in wood by the Swiss artist Daniel Berset, constructed by the carpenter Louis Genève. It is constructed of 5.5 tons of wood and is 12 metres high....
in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
and the temporary The Writer on Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath is a large, ancient London park, covering . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London clay...
in London.
Description
The chair, which stands at 19 1/2 feet high, is a detail-to-detail replica of a Duncan PhyfeDuncan Phyfe
Duncan Phyfe was one of nineteenth-century America’s leading furniture makers.Born Duncan Fife near Loch Fannich, Scotland, he emigrated to Albany, New York, at age 16 and served as a cabinetmaker’s apprentice...
style chair. Painted brown with a white and brown striped "cushion" the chair is entirely made of aluminum. Weighing between 4,000-4,600 pounds, the chair sits on a concrete base.
Acquisition
The chair was built in 1959 by Virginia based furniture maker Bassett FurnitureBassett Furniture
Bassett Furniture is a furniture manufacturer headquartered in Bassett, Virginia, United States.It was founded in 1902 by John David Bassett and C.C. Bassett...
. The concept for the chair came from Charles Curtis, of the Curtis Brothers Furniture company, as a clever way to bring customers to their family showroom which was located on the grounds where the chair is currently placed.
The piece was dedicated on July 11, 1959 and a plaque was placed with it stating:
- THE WORLD'S LARGEST CHAIR
- PRESENTED TO
- CURTIS BROS.
- FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP
- AND SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC/BY THE
- BASSETT FURNITURE INDUSTRIES.
- THE CHAIR MADE OF SOUND HONDURAS MAHOGANY
- IS 19 1/2 FEET TALL AND WEIGHS 4000 POUNDS
- DEDICATED JULY 11, 1959
- DESIGNED
- LEO M. HIRAMETT
- BUILT BY J. E. BASSETT, JR.
Rededication
John Kidwell, the caretaker of the Chair, frequently patched holes that would form after heavy rains with cement. During the days of August 23–24, 2005, the original Chair was disassembled by a backhoe and taken away for restoration. Made entirely of Honduras Mahogany, the legs had begun to rotDry rot
Dry rot refers to a type of wood decay caused by certain types of fungi, also known as True Dry Rot, that digests parts of the wood which give the wood strength and stiffness...
. On April 25, 2006, the chair was returned by Curtis Properties (was Curtis Brothers), however, this was a new chair, made entirely of brown aluminum. Over 250 people attended the re-dedication including Mayor Anthony A. Williams
Anthony A. Williams
Anthony Allen "Tony" Williams is an American politician who served as the fifth mayor of the District of Columbia for two terms, from 1999 to 2007. He had previously served as chief financial officer for the District, managing to balance the budget and achieve a surplus within two years of...
.
With the dedication of a new chair, a new plaque was placed reading:
- THE BIG CHAIR
- RE-DEDICATION APRIL 25, 2006
- THIS COMMUNITY LANDMARK REPRESENTS THE CURTIS COMPANIES
- LONG-STANDING ALLEGIANCE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND
- STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO UNITY, PROSPERITY, AND GOOD WILL
- TO ALL WASHINGTONIANS AND FRIENDS OF ANACOSTIA.
This new chair was designed by John Kidwell & Lomax. It was fabricated by Cinnbar, an Orlando-based business known for their oversized objects, and Nelson's Welding. The new chair cost over $40,000 to build. Upon its delivery, by flatbed truck, overpasses had to be avoided due to the size of the chair.
Looking Glass House
On August 13, 1960, Rebecca Kirby (aka Lynn Arnold) moved "onto" the chair. A 10-by-10 foot cubicle was built and placed on the seat furnished with a shower, bed, toilet, heater, air conditioner and balcony. Placed upon the chair by way of forklift, Kirby lived in the chair for 42 days. In the cubicle she would watch TV, read books, and talk on the telephone, as well as dine, as her meals were delivered every day.Kirby would step outside onto the balcony every few hours to greet visitors who learned about her living situation due to newspapers advertising her as "Alice in the Looking Glass House." Visitors would be encouraged to guess how long she'd maintain her residency. Her then 14-month-old son, Richard, visited often, being placed in a dumb waiter and sent up to see her.
After 42 days Kirby "decided to return to earth," earning $1,500 for her stay.
Community reception
The Chair has been received as apart of neighborhood life since it's original installation. Anacostia, a neighborhood that has seen ups and downs in economic and cultural areas, prides itself on a landmark that has withstood the evolution of the community.Often used as a geographic marker for direction giving and holiday celebration (Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
sits upon the chair during Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
.), when the Chair was reinstalled in 2006 community members surrounded the giant, clapping, yelling and photographing the new chair.
During the 1968 Washington, D.C. riots
1968 Washington, D.C. riots
Five days of race riots erupted in Washington, D.C. following the April 4, 1968 assassination of Civil Rights Movement-leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil unrest affected at least 110 U.S...
the chair was one of the few landmarks to go unscathed in a neighborhood heavily affected by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
's death.